Tishwash: Between security stability and economic challenges… the last year of Al-Sudani’s government
As the government of Mohammed Shia al-Sudani enters its final year, many challenges emerge on the scene, despite the achievements made in various fields.
MP Hussein Al-Azirjawi confirmed in an interview with “Baghdad Today”, Sunday (March 9, 2025), that “the security situation is stable and has not been affected by regional events,” pointing to the readiness of the security forces to confront any emergency.
On the economic level, Al-Azirjawi pointed out that “there are some difficulties, but they are less severe than what previous governments faced,” stressing that “the government is continuing to address the crises, especially with regard to paying salaries and reviving development projects in various governorates.”
He also pointed out that “Al-Sudani’s government has achieved broad popular satisfaction, thanks to the resumption of work on a number of vital projects, such as bridges, hospitals and factories.
Despite the challenges of low oil prices, he stressed that “the government has the solutions to overcome the obstacles,” expecting that “the economic or security file will not constitute a major obstacle in the next stage.”
Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani assumed office in October 2022 amid complex political and economic conditions, as his government came after a long formation crisis following the early parliamentary elections in 2021.
Since then, his government has faced sensitive issues, most notably improving the economic situation, enhancing security, and combating corruption, in addition to trying to achieve internal and external political balance in light of the tense regional situation.
As the current government enters its final year, new challenges emerge, particularly in light of the fluctuations in oil prices and their impact on the general budget, in addition to the continued need to implement economic reforms and combat corruption to ensure sustainable improvement in government performance link
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Tishwash: $100 billion annually.. Iraq’s spending exceeds the 3 most powerful economies in the world
The head of the Iraq Future Foundation, Munar Al-Obaidi, revealed the rate of Iraq’s revenues and expenditures during the last ten years. While he explained that the country spends $100 billion annually, which is higher than the annual expenditure of three countries with strong economies, he indicated that the country’s problem is not with resources, but with the way they are managed.
Al-Obaidi said, “Over the course of ten years, Iraq’s total revenues amounted to 1,028 trillion Iraqi dinars, with oil revenues accounting for 92% of the total revenues, while tax, customs and other sources contributed only 8%.”
He added, “In contrast, Iraq spent 1,007 trillion Iraqi dinars during the same period, in addition to unliquidated loans ranging between 100-150 trillion dinars, which means that total spending exceeded 1,100 trillion Iraqi dinars, which is approximately equivalent to 1 trillion US dollars.”
He continued, “Therefore, Iraq’s annual spending rate becomes around $100 billion, which is higher than the spending rate of many developed countries, as the annual spending rate for each of the following reached: the United Arab Emirates: $65 billion, Malaysia: $82 billion, and Singapore: $77 billion.”
He stressed that “although Iraq spends more than these countries, its GDP still depends almost entirely on the oil sector, compared to these countries that have succeeded in diversifying their economies to reach a GDP of $500 billion annually.”
He pointed out that “the great paradox lies in the fact that these three countries do not possess the enormous natural resources that Iraq possesses, nor do they possess the same size of the human population, and yet they were able to build strong and prosperous economies with budgets less than what Iraq spends, while Iraq is still suffering under the burden of oil control, the rentier economy, disguised unemployment, and many economic problems that are growing and getting bigger year after year.”
He pointed out that “the problem was never in the resources, but in the way they were managed and employed to achieve sustainable development,” adding that “Iraq needs deep economic reforms that focus on diversifying the economy, improving spending efficiency, and combating financial waste to ensure a sustainable economic future.”
He concluded his post with, “Iraq needs five words mentioned by a famous program about development a few days ago, which are (a stable government to improve development management). Any loss of any word in this phrase will lead to the collapse of the entire sentence.” link
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Tishwash: US National Security Advisor to Sudan: Ending Exception for Electricity Supply from Iran Linked to Maximum Pressure Policy
Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani received a phone call today, Sunday, from US National Security Advisor Michael Waltz, where both sides affirmed their commitment to strengthening and deepening the strategic partnership between Iraq and the United States.
The Prime Minister’s media office said in a statement received by {Euphrates News} that “the discussions focused on enhancing bilateral cooperation in the economic and security fields, as the Prime Minister affirmed Iraq’s commitment to expanding economic relations with the United States, encouraging American companies to invest in the growing Iraqi market. He also reviewed the important reforms and initiatives implemented by his government to create a more stable, transparent and attractive environment for investors.”
For his part, the US National Security Advisor encouraged the Prime Minister to rely more on American companies, and to work to solve the problems and remove the obstacles facing those companies operating in Iraq, including the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, to encourage them to work and invest in Iraq.
The two sides also stressed the importance of joint efforts to build a strong Iraq capable of relying on itself. The discussions also included addressing issues and the role of American companies operating in this field. In this context, the United States renewed its commitment to supporting Iraq’s energy independence and expressed its readiness to cooperate in accelerating the achievement of this goal.
Regarding the security file, National Security Advisor Waltz affirmed the United States’ firm commitment to the security and stability of Iraq in the face of regional and international challenges. The two sides also stressed the importance of continuing cooperation to ensure Iraq’s sovereignty and stability in the long term, especially in light of the turbulent conditions in the region.
Waltz added that ending the exemption for electricity supplied from Iran is linked to the maximum pressure policy, which confirms the importance of bilateral coordination to avoid any potential negative effects on Iraq’s stability.
The call reaffirmed the strong partnership between Iraq and the United States, with both sides expressing their shared vision for a secure, prosperous, and sovereign Iraq. link
